Center of Excellence in Climate Measurements (CECM) Program | 2024 NIST CECM 01

Opportunity Information: Apply for 2024 NIST CECM 01

The Center of Excellence in Climate Measurements (CECM) Program is a National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) funding opportunity to create a single, interdisciplinary Center of Excellence focused on improving how the United States measures, compares, and standardizes climate-related data and projections that matter at the community level. The core purpose is to advance national standardization of methods and metrics used to forecast the consequences of climate trends across different places and times, especially at scales that communities can use for planning, risk reduction, and decision-making. In practical terms, the Center is expected to do both research and coordination work, serving as a hub that brings together NIST, public agencies, and other stakeholders to align approaches and reduce the fragmentation that often exists in climate impact forecasting and assessment.

A major emphasis of the CECM is translating climate information into consistent, quantitative predictions of climate-related effects on communities. Rather than focusing only on general climate modeling, the program highlights the need for standard practices, methodologies, and tools that help communities interpret and apply climate information in comparable ways across multiple geographies and over time. The Center is expected to act as a convener and leader in this field, meaning it should not only produce research outputs, but also coordinate multi-party collaboration, help define best practices, and support agreement on shared measurement approaches that can be used broadly.

The funding instrument is a cooperative agreement, which signals substantial involvement by NIST during the project period. Compared with a typical grant, a cooperative agreement usually means the work will be carried out in closer coordination with the agency, with NIST actively collaborating on technical direction, deliverables, convening, and/or integration with national measurement and standards priorities. The opportunity falls under the Science and Technology and other Research and Development activity category, and is listed under CFDA 11.609. The opportunity is discretionary and anticipates making one award, indicating that NIST intends to fund a single lead organization (and its partners) to stand up and operate the Center of Excellence.

Eligibility is broad in terms of entity type but specific in terms of location and demonstrated partnerships. The competition is open to non-Federal entities, including accredited institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations, U.S.-incorporated commercial organizations, and State, local, territorial, and Indian Tribal governments. However, the applicant must be physically located in a U.S. state or U.S. territory that already has requirements to reduce greenhouse gases and to track climate effects. In addition, applicants must show documented, established partnerships with national climate offices and also with an established state or territorial climate office within the applicant's own state or territory. Finally, applicants must demonstrate documented experience conducting comprehensive state or territory climate assessments, which suggests NIST is looking for a lead organization with a strong track record in applied climate assessment work and established relationships with the official climate infrastructure at both the national and state or territorial level.

Key administrative details from the notice include the funding opportunity title "Center of Excellence in Climate Measurements (CECM) Program," opportunity number "2024 NIST CECM 01," and an original closing date of April 1, 2024. The notice indicates one expected award; an award ceiling is not specified in the provided source data.

• The National Institute of Standards and Technology in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Center of Excellence in Climate Measurements (CECM) Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 11.609.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2024-01-30.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-04-01. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

Apply for 2024 NIST CECM 01

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